There are a lot of men that have shaped my life – that’s true for most men my age.  My father, first, foremost and of course.

But then there is J.R. Bishop, my high school football coach.  HIs accomplishments as a coach are extraordinary.  He led us in high school to an undefeated season.  Every senior on the team played college ball somewhere.  He later went to Wheaton College and turned that moribund program into a Division III contender.  He pioneered the use of the forward pass in high school football in Indiana and for years ran a summer camp with his greatest coaching rival on passing and receiving that changed the game forever in the state.  I could go on for quite a while with the man’s professional accomplishments.

Being on an undefeated, #1 ranked, football team, even “just” at the high school level is a life memory, but that is not what made J.R. one of the greatest shapers of my life.  That distinction belongs to his faith, his personal relationship with me and the undeniable fact that God and his family was first in his life.  He had the capability to coach at the highest levels and succeed, but he chose deliberately to coach high school and at a faith based college institution to honor God and his family.  He even sparked some of my first brushes with politics when he arranged, through Fellowship of Christan Athletes, for me to serve as the personal usher to then Indiana Governor Otis Bown at a charity event.

But the thing he did most was make sure we had a team Bible Study every Thursday, all season, before we played on Friday.  It was taught by the local Young Life staffer and you will never be able to dissuade me from the conviction that that study was integral to our success on the field – even though only about half the team participated.  Coach showed me in a very real way how to integrate faith with all aspects of life without compromising on success.

After a prolonged bout with Alzheimer’s, J.R. died yesterday.  The world is a darker place.   I lack the words to provide honor sufficient.

Love you J.R. – Godspeed and God Bless.